I know music is music (Part 1)

Music is the best thing. Ever. I like (no love) music more than I like football and am a little bit obsessed with it. Im obsessed with knowing the correct lyrics, about stories behind songs and love how songs can mean different things to different people and different things to the same person depending on when they listen to them. To me music is a time machine, I have a funny memory and there are some songs which can literally take me back to another place and time. In this blog I've picked out a few pieces of music that are worth anyones time to listen.



1. Life on Mars - David Bowie.

I wasn't born when this song was released and I don't have any memories attached to it as such but whenever I think about my favourite ever songs it always makes the top three. I can't pinpoint what it is that I like about it so much, its just an amazing song. I love the way the piano builds. I love the way the lyrics sometimes make sense and sometimes don't. It's genius.

It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns

2. The whole of the moon - The Waterboys.

Another song that is always near the top when I think about my favourite ever. As well as it being amazing this is one of those that brings back memories. It reminds me of when I first started going to the match with me mates and being stood on the Gallowgate. I think this might have been one of the favourites of "Barry in the box" as I can definitely remember this being played before / after games. I hear this and I'm stood there again with the smell of the brewery and the atmosphere building. I think the lyric "You're there at the turnstile with the wind at your heels" probably has something to do with that mind. The song itself reminds me of Keegans team, it reached for the stars, didn't quite make it but it was amazing all the same.

I pictured a rainbow
You held it in your hands
I had flashes
But you saw the plan
I wandered out in the world for years
While you just stayed in your room
I saw the crescent
You saw the whole of the moon

3. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses. 

One of the greatest albums ever. I have lost count how many times I have listened to it over the years. I think its a work of art and I never get tired of hearing it. It isn't just the music though. I loved everything about The Stone Roses, the artwork, the religious imagery and political messages in the lyrics. They were amazing musicians and the coolest band ever. 

Soak me to my skin
Will you drown me in your sea
Submission ends and I begin
Choke me, smoke the air
In this citrus sucking sunshine 
I dont care, you're not all there
Every backbone and heart you break 
Will still come back for more
Submission ends it all.

4. Suede & DogManStar - Suede. 

When the Roses disappeared the next band that I really got into were Suede. These two albums are both masterpieces and both should be listened to in their entirety. Suede managed to combine everything I like about music, they were like Bowie, The Smiths and Roxy Music rolled into one - and a lot of people hated them which made me like them even more. I think its a shame when people think of them now they tend to think of the '96 Coming Up era band that although were very good (and their new stuff is really good too!) its not a patch on their early work. Suede didn't write bad songs back then and the fact that likes of "The Living Dead" would be  B-side is testament to how brilliant they were. Ive seen them live a few times too  - there are not many better live bands around. Still. These are brilliant albums in their own right but some songs stand out,. "Sleeping Pills" for example, and I still can't believe "New Generation" wasn't released as the Dog Man Star launch single - it was better than anything Blur or Oasis could produce.

Back where the dogs bark
Where still life bleeds the concrete white
Try not to go too far inside your mind

Back where the cars decide

Where the lame star limps an endless mile

Have I gone too far inside my mind?

Oh, if you were the one

Would I even notice now my mind has gone?

5. Definitely Maybe - Oasis.

Speaking  of Oasis I have to include this album. Not as good as those mentioned above but a brilliant album all the same and it meant a lot to me and soundtracked a great time my life. During my time at Uni, Oasis peaked and were the most popular band this country have produced for a very long time and this album was everywhere. Walking along the main path through the halls of residence and without fail I would hear this playing. Everything seemed exciting, looking back through my rose tinted glasses the sun would be shining, Newcastle were fighting for the title playing the best football I've ever seen, Id have had a few beers and there was brilliant music everywhere too. Apart from some standout singles it was downhill for them musically from here in my opinion.

Maybe I will never be
All the things that I wanna be
Now is not the time to cry
Now's the time to find out why
I think you're the same as me
We see things they'll never see
You and I are gonna live forever

6. Stop Crying your heart out - Oasis. 

One of the standout singles I mention above, I include this because every time I hear it it takes me back to a Thursday night at the Riverside in Newcastle in the Autumn of 2003. It was the last song played that night. 

'Cause all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out

7. Sit Down - James. 

James are brilliant live and have a brilliant back catalogue of songs that don't get the credit they deserve. This is probably the song they are best known for and is my favourite of theirs. They have so many brilliant singles, Runaground and Getting away with it (Which has that Happy Sad style guitar that I love) are well worth a listen too. I went for Sit down though because of the lyrics - everyone knows the chorus but the verses do it for me.

I sing myself to sleep

A song from the darkest hour

Secrets I can't keep

In sight of the day

Swing from high to leap

Extremes of sweet and sour

Hope that God exists

I hope. I pray

Drawn by the undertow

My life is out of control

I believe this wave will bear my weight 

So Let it flow

8. Chasing Rainbows - Shed Seven. 

The Resnikov Bar. Hull 95-98. It was me that put this on the Juke box every single day. 

There are things that i regret
like being called a nervous wreck
and working up another sweat for you
there's nothing that i can do
for counterparts and bleeding hearts
and all the things that fall apart for you
i don't keep my secrets there
i hide them everywhere 
i could deny
but i'll never realise
i'm just chasing rainbows
all the time

9. Walk Away Renee - Billy Bragg. 

Remember when pop stars were socialists and politics was important to them? Where's the young Billy Bragg we need for these days? Billy does love songs as well as he does political songs and this is probably his best. The lyrics say it all.

She said it was just a figment of speech
And I said, "You mean figure?"
And she said, "No, figment"
Because she could never imagine it happening
But it did.....

10. Lindisfarne - Road to Kingdom come (Anthology). 

Compilations shouldn't really count but its Lindisfarne so I'm going to make an exception. My dad had this on tape when I was a young'un and I played it over and over. I loved the bit in "Fog on the Tyne" when they sang about "having a wee wee", it made laugh, the BBC banned it apparently. Theres so much more to Lindisfarne though then their most famous song. Road to Kingdom come, We can swing together (This version has the best rendition of The Blaydon races you will hear - sang as it should be) and Meet me on the corner are all brilliant songs. Alan Hull was an amazing lyricist and his music deserves to be heard by younger generations that probably dont know this band ever existed.

Hey mister dream seller
Where have you been.
Tell me have you dreams I can see?
I came along, just to bring you this song,
Can you spare one dream for me?

Part 2